The Google Pixel 9a Looks like one of the better Middle -up phones of the year. It is run by a Tensor G4 chip that is mostly identical to the Pixel 9 series, but uses an older modem instead of Pixel 9’s new Exynos modem 5400.
We covered this news A few days ago and asked the readers if they cared about this change. Over 4400 votes were summarized and here’s what you told us.
Do you care that Pixel 9a has an old modem?
It turns out that almost 40% of the readers examined (39.75%) said they care that Pixel 9a has an older modem, but that they will wait for reviews and test first. Meanwhile, 36.61% of those surveyed said this was an agreement for them. In other words, just over 75% of the readers surveyed are concerned with Pixel 9a’s choice of modem in the first place.
Pixel 9as Exynos Modem 5300 was also found in the Pixel 6 series, the Pixel 7 series, and Pixel 8 Family, including all A-series phones. Unfortunately, cellular connection can vary wildly between these phones. Some owners of the Pixel 6 series (including a pair of Android Authority members) reported severe cellular problems. These problems included poor reception in places where other phones worked well, long delays in the exchange between cellular and Wi-Fi connections, overheating and poor battery life on cellular connections and more. Phones like Pixel 7 and the Pixel 8 series delivered significant improvements in this regard, but we can certainly understand why people are concerned.
Reading Akash Yadav detailed his trial with Pixel 8 Pro:
It is a big downgrade. I have a Pixel 8 Pro (sic), while it normally works in the city except the high battery drain in 5G. But on the highway, it often loses connection and goes offline on the same carrier when telephones with Qualcomm and MediaTek modemes can get signals easily. Even when it loses the connection, it really gets back. You need to restart it, put it on offline mode repeatedly, and sometimes it doesn’t help. I have so many times lost instructions on live maps because of this, as why I have moved my primary SIM to a cheaper IQOO 13 and hold Pixel with me to click on photos.
Fellow Dominykas Samsonas noted that Google recently was problems with connection he had with his pixel:
I have (Exynos modem) 5300 in Pixel 8 Pro that I had since launched, and I can say that the middle of last year Google with software updates really solved many problems with it (sic). Since Google had done many years of work of 5300, I do not see this as an agreement for the midrange phone.
Meanwhile, just under 25% of those surveyed said they don’t care about Pixel 9a’s older modem. We assume that these people had no problems with previous pixels.
A couple of commentators revealed that they used their older tensor-driven pixel phones just fine, including Ryan Campbell:
I’ve had Pixel 6A for about 2.5 years now. I have never had any problems with connection (depending on the carrier), overheating or battery drain. I end most days with around 30-40% of my battery again after a 15-16 hour day. My wife has 7A, and she has always had good reception as well. I’m not sure I’m too preoccupied with the modem if the performance will be equal to it for 6A.
In other words, it sounds like some readers may be completely satisfied with the Pixel 9a’s cellular performance, especially if they had no problems with the older phones to begin with. But it is quite clear that most people asked readers at least have some concerns.